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charged with felony murder and will be extradited to Toombs County for a first court appearance.
This is not Bell’s first encounter with police. He had been arrested in March on warrants filed in September 2021, and in February 2022, and charged with misdemeanor assault and battery-other weapon and giving a false name, address or date of birth to police. He was released on bond and was awaiting trial at the time of his second arrest.
In a news release issued April 20, Vidalia Police Chief James Jermon stated that the Burkett case is still active and more arrests are possible. He did not comment on a motive for Burkett’s murder. Three others have been charged in the case. Milbern McRae, 26, of Vidalia, was arrested on April 8 on a felony arrest warrant. He is charged with tampering with evidence and felony probation violation. He was placed on a $10,000 property bond at his first appearance. Megan Ann Osborne, 22, of Cobbtown, was arrested on April 12 on a felony arrest warrant for murder. She was denied bond by Toombs County Magistrate Judge Jack Mc-Millan. Emily Elizebeth Walker, 20, of Ailey, was arrested on April 13 and charged with murder and was also refused bond by Judge McMillan.
Burkett’s body was discovered lying partially beneath a residence at 111 West Jenkins Street on Tuesday, April 5. A passerby spotted the body and notified law enforcement. The body was sent to the Coastal Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Lab for examination, after which the GBI confirmed the identity of the victim and officially determined that the case is a homicide.
Jermon thanked the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force of the Marshals Service and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Eastman Office, for their assistance in the investigation.
Persons who have information pertaining to the case are asked to contact the Vidalia Police Department’s Investigative Services Division at 912-537-4123, Crimestoppers at 912-386-4480, or the GBI at 478-374-6988. Tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), or online at hppps://gbi. georgia.gov/submit/-tipsonline, or by downloading See Something, Send Something mobile app.
